


One Stormy Night

by Evil_Little_Dog



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: Community: fma_fic_contest, Gen, Inspired by..., Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-23
Updated: 2015-08-23
Packaged: 2018-04-16 20:54:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4639860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evil_Little_Dog/pseuds/Evil_Little_Dog
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary: Inspired by the nursery rhyme, <a href="http://www.landofmagic.co.uk/nursery_rhymes/81_One_Stormy_Night.htm">One Stormy Night</a>.  <br/>Those Elric boys are nothing but trouble. </p>
<p>Disclaimer: If this were mine, there'd be even more bikini pictures of Pinako.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Stormy Night

The boys had come for supper of stew and stayed late, the threat of rain enforcing Pinako’s invite for them to spend the night. Outside, the clouds gathered, blotting out the colors of the setting sun, turning everything grey and sullen. The shadows grew thick and dark and lightning slashed through the clouds, chased by the low grumble of thunder. Inside the house, the curtains flapped and fluttered, chased by the wind seeking entrance. 

“Close those windows!” Pinako shouted. “I don’t want to be mopping rain!”

Winry hurried to slam down the windows as the first sprinkle of rain splashed through the screen and onto her arms. Dashing to the next window, Winry shoved it closed. “Ed! Al! Help!”

Alphonse ran upstairs to check on the windows there. Edward clambered up above the sink to close the kitchen window. With the storm lashing the house outside, Pinako slammed the last window down. “Good work. Winry, put the kettle on while I stoke a fire.” 

A short time later, they were settled in the living room, hot tea all around. Pinako spiked hers with a little whiskey, not that the kids needed to know – though they were smart enough to notice. Winry lay on the floor with an automail diagram in front of her – the girl was going to go far, and that wasn’t just a grandmother’s pride talking. Pinako was sure Winry would put the name of Rockbell Automail on the map in a much different way than she had as the Panthress of Risembool. The studied on their own, one of Hohenheim’s old alchemy books spread out in front of them. Pinako sighed, sipping her whiskey-infused tea. She stretched her toes toward the fire, the flames warming her arthritic ankles. 

She’d almost drifted off when Edward’s snap of, “Quit it!” jerked her back awake. Pinako glanced around, seeing Alphonse holding one side of the book and Edward the other. 

“It’s my book, too!” Alphonse said, his voice rising in frustration. 

Winry sighed, edging a little closer to the fire. 

“Is not! I’m eldest, I get first choice of all the books!”

A downdraft made some embers fly around in the fireplace, the cold, damp wind whirling around the room. Pinako scowled. “Boys.” 

“Do not! Mom said the books were both of ours!” Alphonse tugged harder at the book. 

Edward jerked it back toward his chest. “I still get first choice!”

“Boys!” Pinako barked. 

“Granny, make him give me the book!” whined Alphonse. 

“No! It’s my book!” Edward snapped. 

Pinako scrambled to her feet. “Boys! Shut up!” 

Alphonse dropped his end of the book and jumped on Edward. Edward went down with a screech and the boys rolled around. Winry snatched up the diagram, leaping out of the way as the boys smacked into the brick hearth. One of them let out a howl. Pinako clicked her tongue in disgust. “Winry, go stand by the back door.” 

Winry hopped up, tucking the diagram safely away, and hurried toward the kitchen. Pinako reached down into the tussling Elrics, grabbing the first two body parts she could. Alphonse squealed and Edward tried to bite until Pinako twisted his ear harder. His scream could’ve scared bats. “If you don’t listen to me, you can go fight outside!” Pinako snapped, hauling the two boys to the door. Winry opened it without comment, watching as Pinako shoved both boys off the back stoop and into the icy rain.

Winry stood in the open door for a few seconds until Pinako gently pulled her back and closed the door. “They could get sick, Granny!”

“They’re making me sick,” Pinako grumbled. “Go get that book and put it in my bedroom. She made a shooing motion at Winry, not waiting to see if she ran off. No, she peered out the window, not surprised to see the boys were rolling around in the mud. Alphonse sat on Edward’s back, tugging at his hair. Edward screamed – Pinako could just hear him over the rising wind – and managed to flip over. Alphonse hit the ground hard enough to splash up mud. Pinako sighed. “I thought that rain would cool them down.” 

Winry rejoined her, wrinkling her nose at the sight of the closed door. “They’re still outside?” 

“Boys aren’t always bright.” Pinako patted her on the head. “You should learn it now.” She heard a shout. “Head’s up, girl.” Feet thundered against the stoop. 

“Let us in, G-granny!” Alphonse wailed. 

“It’s cold out here!” Edward shouted. 

Pinako glanced at Winry. Winry shrugged. Pinako opened the door, letting the two little idiots spill inside – Edward on the bottom. 

“You dummies!” Winry said. “Why couldn’t you have just shared the book?”

Edward rolled his eyes. It would’ve worked better if he hadn’t had mud in his bangs. “It’s my book!”

“Mine!” Alphonse snapped, elbowing Edward in the ribs. 

“Don’t make me throw you back into the storm,” Pinako warned. 

“Like you would.” Edward glared up at her, punching Alphonse in the side. 

Pinako grabbed for them both. “That’s it. You can sleep in the storm.”


End file.
